sat’day riddymz

Is Sammy Sosa a Self-hating Negro…

or is he… as we Jamaicans like to say: “ ’im jus a fallah fashun! “

We all consider ourselves attractive… or at least want others to consider us attractive. There are billions of dollars spent for products and surgeries, by both men and women, regardless of race, creed, ethnicity, region and religion, in a personal effort to attain a semblance of what is considered attractive by the society at large. This begs the question: what is considered to be “attractive” by our particular society? Obviously, since our dominant community is eurocentric based and their influence is indeed worldwide, then European features are presented to us in daily images, whether on t.v. or in print, as the standard to which attractiveness is judged and therefore to be attained.

Straight hair (preferably blond), pointy nose, thin red lips, blue or light coloured eyes, white complexion, red cheeks, slim body, large but firm breasts, flat butt and long straight legs is the measure of perfect eurocentric beauty. Now most people in the world do not conform to this ideal image, however any combination which includes as many of these traits as possible, moves one up on the attractive-ness scale.

We see the effects of this within the black community. Black women sporting straight hair or weaves, with red lipstick, red blush on their cheeks, white powder to lighten their skin clour… and some even going so far as to wearing contacts to make their eyes lighter. Take a look at any fashion magazine, or magazine in general for that matter, which features Black models and/or female celebrities like Beyonce, and you will observe that the lighter the Sister and the more European features she displays, the more attractive they are considered… so the more prominent they are. Look at the cover of any issue of O magazine. Oprah’s skin tone is always “lightened up” with bright red lips, long straight hair and airbrushed to look thinner and firmer than she really is. I remember the buzz around the July 2008 issue of Italian Vogue which featured “Black” models. Click on the image below to see a preview of some of the pics. It’s interesting what is blatantly portrayed as black beauty.  

One of our more popular posts here is “Do Black Men Respond To Natural Hair”, which brings to mind the documentary produced by Chris Rock called “Good Hair”. It has been estimated that Black women spend an estimated $9 billion per year getting the kink out of their hair!

Growing up in Jamaica, I observed the issues around colourism in a neocolonial eurocentric society. Light-skinned women and men, with predominant European features were considered more attractive and therefore desirable. They were referred to as “Royals” or “Brownings”. Jamiacan reggae singer Buju Banton’s first hit in 1992 was a song entitled “Love me Browning”. Conversely, African features such as dark black skin, woolly hair, a broad nose and thick black lips were considered ugly. Here is an excellent and informative article about the issue of colour in the Dominican Republic where Sosa is from entitled: “Black Denial”.  

So really it’s no wonder that Sammy Sosa feels that to be considered more attractive, desirable and therefore acceptable by the society at large, including the Black community, he needs to lighten his skin and wear green contact lenses. Although the obvious poster child for this mindset was Michael Jackson, if we are honest with ourselves, most of us are complicit in some way in making it a “fashun”.

“King and Emperor: Which Way for Uganda?” by Nkwazi N. Mhango

When he toppled the government in 1986 using Baganda, thanks to entrenching his rebels, as they were referred to then, in Luweero triangle, he promised them heaven after the hell experienced in Luweero massacres. To hoodwink them, buy time and loyalty, he restored their kingdom along with those of Toro and Bunyoro. When it came to Ankole kingdom, Museveni had some reservations. He did not like to become a subject of a traditional king whilst he’s himself an emperor. Since then, nobody knows exactly what made Museveni shelve his own king, if kingdom were a good thing and an “in-thing” Ugandans deserved. 

Recent revolts in Kampala that left scores dead and hundreds behind bars act as an early wake up call for Museveni to contemplate vacating presidency in lieu of staying put in his phantasmagoric world. Ugandans are now tired of Museveni and are ready to take on him. 

For decades, Museveni has dubiously been everywhere and everything in Uganda: in the seating rooms, bed rooms, even in the pubs. He tampered with the constitution to remain in power by producing and reproducing a host of pretexts all based on naked lies. Right now, Ugandans are tired of misrule and nepotism. This explains why youths in Kampala took to the streets after King (Kabaka) Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II was barred from visiting his subjects in Kayuga.

Though the cause of revolts may be lightly associated with this denial of the right of the king, the truth is, it is but a pretext. Ugandans are using this to take on their tyrant, who as time goes, keeps on changing into many things: from a freedom fighter to a dictator, not to mention his adopted name of “Kaguta” that signifies toughness. Is Museveni still tough really amidst corruption, nepotism, nihilism, humiliation and what not with regards to misrule and abuse of power? Time will truly tell.

By reinstating the king of Buganda, Museveni wrongly goofed believing he’d get away with it. How could he whilst he barred the same from vying for and political post? This is a constitutional right for every citizen of a free country! Did Mutebi accept this token knowing that time would come for him to strike back and get back his constitutional right? Is this what the youths that wrecked havoc in Kampala wanted him to pursue?

Museveni wrongly thinks he can outsmart Ugandans. How, if at all, he turned Uganda into a one party state, heading for a kingdom of emperor Museveni I, a banana republic of course? How could he whilst he is ruining Uganda using his dynasty? Will he neutralize this new awakening as he did with Kiiza Besigye?

Ugandans are not stupid and sheepish as people wrongly perceive. They know their dictator has ruined their country and reputation abroad. Refer to the Congo invasion whereby many innocent people were killed and their property was robbed. The majority in Rwanda will nary forgive him for siring his replica in a new draconic ruler whose struggles to grab power culminated in genocide and the destruction of this tiny nation.

As for Kenyans, Museveni’s attempts to annex Migingo Island do not augur well with them. If anything, in East Africa, he has a good relationship with Tanzania that cloned and exported him to Uganda, after Tanzania had a score to settle with Idi Amin after Milton Obote proved to be a failure. 

Aristotle had it that the worst form of inequality, is to try to make unequal things equal. For long, Museveni has posed as a messiah for Ugandans thanks to coming to power under the post-Amin euphoria-cum-phobia. Though Amin was kicked out by Julius Nyerere, Museveni still poses as the one who did it. He has used this to score many credits unworthily. No messiah has ever used excessive force or dubious means to attain his goals, emancipation as it is for Museveni. Basically, any meaningful and true emancipation largely depends on those it aims at emancipating. Ugandans are stating categorically that they don’t need Museveni’s emancipation. Instead, they need to be emancipated from Museveni and his cabal of looters. 

Though Mutebi has never put it straight that he aims at political power, shall people want and stand behind him, will he turn them down? He is a true Ugandan: educated, loved, and all in all, capable of unifying them especially at this very hour of need. One does not need a PhD in political science to tell that Ugandans are tired of a one man show. They need a new leader of their choice not that of the gun. They need and deserve a democratic elected leader. They are tired of a ruler superimposing himself on them. The two decades Museveni has been in power are more than enough. That’s why, in reality, things are likely to take a new turn.

Let us face it. Which is better; to have an emperor or a king? To me, Museveni I and Mutebi II are at par. The difference (and a good thing) is, Mutebi has never ruined and mismanaged Uganda. The former became a king by the means of his blood whilst latter by means of his gun. In this showdown, who will triumph between emperor Museveni and King Mutebi?

Nkwazi Mhango is a Tanzanian living in Canada. He writes regularly for “The African Executive” and also has a blog entitled “Free Thinking Unabii”. He is a regular contributor to AfroSpear.

Restaveks: Haiti’s Child Slaves

I was about to do a post on the continuing Tiger Wood’s saga when I decided to watch BBC World News to get my morning international news information. They did a piece on Haiti’s child slaves known as “Restaveks”, (read news report here). I wonder what they would think of our fascination and insatiable hunger for daily gossip on the lives of celebs like Tiger Woods and wanna-be celebs like the Salahi’s, while we totally ignore the daily exploitation, abuse and hunger for basic necessities they face.

A Policeman’s Prayer

Oh Lord, while I’m on my beat
May I know that you’re with me,
And protect me as I go to guard
Other’s lives and property.

Help me to ignore those who scorn
And show me no respect,
But be mindful of all citizens
I’ve sworn that I’ll protect.

Be with my fellow officers
And guard their safety too.
May I always put my duty first
In the work that I must do.

May I not disgrace the uniform
But bring pride to the badge I wear.
That I’d be a good policeman, Lord
Would be my only prayer.

Amen

R.K. Cecil

Heartfelt condolences to the families of the four police officers who were ambushed and executed on Sunday morning.

Clockwise from top left: Lakewood Police officers Greg Richards, Mark Renninger, Tina Griswold and Ronald Owens.

sat’day riddymz

Jump up!

Deciphering the Mohammed Trial

This article: Deciphering the Mohammed Trial by STRATFOR, is the most indepth commentary I have read so far on the issues surrounding the decision by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to have the 5 terrorists involved in the 9/11 plot, including the mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, moved from Guantanamo to New York for a civilian criminal trial. 

Added note: Let’s all agree that this will be nothing more than a political “show trial”, in the tradition of what occurs in places around the world where the system of justice is a farce, such as Russia, China, Iran, Sudan, Zimbabwe, etc. When one listens to the comments of Holder and to a lesser extent Obama, these “defendants” are not afforded the right of being “presumed innocent until proven guilty”, the foundation of the American judicial system. In fact it has already been stated by the administration that not only are they guilty, but if by the remotest of possibilities they are acquitted, they will be re-arrested on other charges or held on immigration warrants!

Bits and Bytes

1. On this date 150 years ago, November 24th 1859, Charles Darwin published “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection”. Back then it was seen as a challenge to the religious ideology and establishment of the day. I remember reading it when I was in university and I found it… well in a word: boring. I didn’t understand the furor it caused then… and even now for that matter… but as a Christian I have never felt threatened by other ideologies, whether they be religious or secular.  

Today, a few of the online magazines and blogs which I read regularly,  mentioned this milestone and referenced the debate between evolution and religion, primarily Christianity. Most of the commentary, regardless of the authors’ personal beliefs, tried to probe the issue in a non-judgmental way. However, there were a couple that held the view that if you believed in evolution, you were condemned to hellfire… or if you believed in creationism, then you were an ignoramus who rejected science and believed that the earth was flat. As a born-again Christian, I believe in the infallibility of the Word of God (The Bible) and also in certain aspects of evolution. So I’m not sure where that would place me in each of their eyes. 

As I have researched and discussed this topic over the years, I have found that just as there are a variety of scientific theories around evolution, such as Darwinian Evolution, Social Darwinism and Scientific Evolutionary Theory, there are also a variety of religious, particularly a variety of Christian beliefs around creationism. I found that there are creationists, who are different from creation scientists, who are different from those who believe in intelligent design, who are again different from theistic evolutionists. Catholics, Protestants, Evangelicals and other denominations have varying beliefs on evolution. This topic is not as simple as the simple-minded on either extremes of this debate would have us believe.    

For those want to broaden their outlook and take a more rational approach to the debate, one of the online resources I frequent, The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, has provided an extensive research package on this debate (see here). There are many interesting and informative topics which are discussed from a variety of angles… religious, scientific, political, social, personal, etc.

Although I always say that you need to believe in something or you’ll fall for anything, I am also always reminded by the words of St. Augustine, a theologian in 400AD, who said this in reference to the Genesis account of creation… way before the Darwinian evolution vs. Religion debate:

“In matters that are so obscure and far beyond our vision, we find in Holy Scripture passages which can be interpreted in very different ways without prejudice to the faith we have received. In such cases, we should not rush in headlong and so firmly take our stand on one side that, if further progress in the search for truth justly undermines this position, we too fall with it.”

2. I want to share a very interesting article on a blog authored by Lovebug35 entitled: “Racial Diversity in India”. What I found most fascinating is that the first inhabitants of India are the Australoids, who ”are generally of dark complexion with wavy hair, broad nose, weak chins and these people form the slum population in India.” Within the Indian Caste system they are at the bottom of the rung and are referred to as “untouchables”. At the top of the caste system are the Indo-Iranians also known as ”Aryans” (original Aryans… not the Hitler type), who were the last group to migrate to India. They “are characterized by their pale/fair complexion, narrow noses, long faces with prominent chins and have a variety of hair and eye colors.” It was these Aryans who instituted the caste system.

Well worth the read with lots of photos of each racial group.

(As an aside, this reminds me that I need to finish my post on Sammy Sosa and the whole skin bleaching controvery… coming real soon!)

3. Jamaican Dancehall Reggae star, Beenie Man, has been dropped from a music festival to be held in Australia and New Zealand due to protests and petitions from gay rights groups (see here). They objected to his appearance at the “Big Day Out” festival because the lyrics of some of his songs promote violence against gays and lesbians. Activist refer to him as a “murder music artist”, similar to issues surrounding another Reggae artists Buju Banton, as I had previously discussed in this post.